NDCs in the Mekong: Are Governments recognizing the rights, roles and contributions of Indigenous Peoples?

The Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the UN-REDD Programme and the Forest Peoples Programme, on a study to shed light on how the rights, roles and knowledge of indigenous men, women, youth, and persons with disabilities are addressed in national-level climate policies and plans, such as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), REDD+ strategies, national adaptation plans, and relevant environmental laws in Asia.

Asia overview report 

The results of the study are documented in 10 country-level reports incorporating a gender perspective, which also identify Indigenous Peoples’ practices that are already contributing to the goals of the Paris Agreement. This Mekong regional report synthesizes the findings and recommendations from the country-level studies.

The Mekong report presents findings and key recommendations from Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The country reports and the regional report will serve as baseline documents for the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and its member and partner organizations working on climate change and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. AIPP will annually update the country reports and the regional report to monitor the implementation of the NDCs at national level, and track regional and international climate-action commitments as they relate to the rights of indigenous men, women, youth, and persons with disabilities. The reports will also inform the discussions and plans of the Facilitative Working Group of the UNFCCC Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform.

Cambodia

This report presents the results of an analysis of how the rights and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples are addressed by the policies, laws and plans related to climate change in Cambodia. The report presents specific recommendations and is a baseline of the current situation in Cambodia for use by the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, its member organizations, and Indigenous Peoples working on climate change and the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Myanmar

Myanmar, a country rich in natural resources and indigenous culture, is prone to climate change impacts and natural disasters. Of all developing countries, it is one of the least developed. Experiencing recent changes in its transition to democracy, the Myanmar government engaged with the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and developed laws and policies related to climate change to overcome the challenges faced. Indigenous Peoples in Myanmar, whose homeland is the forests, mountains and rivers, are vulnerable to both the climate change impacts and the climate-related interventions. In this report, we present the current status of Indigenous Peoples’ rights as part of Myanmar’s response to climate change, we highlight the role of Indigenous Peoples in addressing climate change, and we make recommendations for improving the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and roles in the country’s climate change policies and interventions.

Thailand

The main purpose of this report is to study, analyze and present the results on how the rights and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples are addressed by national policies, laws and plans related to climate change mitigation and adaptation in Thailand. The report will serve as a baseline document for the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and its member organizations working on climate change and the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and inform their strategies for effective monitoring and for engaging with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other related bodies.

Vietnam

This report is an assessment of the extent to which the Vietnamese Government is considering the rights and knowledge of ethnic minorities in its climate-related policies and strategies, including the Nationally Determined Contribution, REDD+ strategies, the National Adaptation Plan and other relevant environmental laws. We also make recommendations, based on our the findings, for actions to address the major gaps identified.